


Terror Filled the Sky, Then the Night

by m0rtalitasi



Category: Elder Scrolls
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-29
Updated: 2014-08-29
Packaged: 2018-02-15 06:13:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2218803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/m0rtalitasi/pseuds/m0rtalitasi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Dragonborn returns home after dealing with the Dragon Crisis and the Civil War. After losing friends and loved ones to the war and violence that plagued her homeland, Elgri is still unable to forget what happened to her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Terror Filled the Sky, Then the Night

There was a soft pit-pat of feet against the wooden floor. There was smoke in her nose. A pain jolted through her side. There was a sound of metal. Somebody to attack her, a dragon, the clashing of swords. Another metal noise. More soft scuffling. The smell of smoke grew stronger and stronger. Suddenly, there was a hand on her body.

Elgri screamed and jolted awake, eyes wide with horror. There were two other, smaller screams that joined her. For a second she was unable what was happening and as she held up the knife in her hand to strike, a voice called out.

“Mama!”

A pause. Her vision seemingly returned to her and the smoke stopped slowly pouring from behind her lips. Elgri looked as her mother Svenlanna stared up at her, arm over her face defensively, a look of fear and concern on her face. Elgri's beloved daughter Nerla was in the corner, blankets pulled tightly to her, tears forming in her eyes.

Hands shaking, Elgri slowly dropped the knife and it fell from her limp fingers onto the floor with a clatter. Svenlanna stood up and adjusted her nightclothes before settling onto the bed next to Elgri. Svenlanna smoothed back the light golden hair from her daughter's face and as she saw the tears form in her eyes, a dark twinge pulled at her heart.

The last time Svenlanna had seen her daughter, she didn't look this way. She was tall and muscular for her age and sex, yes, but she was still a young girl. She had no scars, no bruises, no marks on her body. But as the firelight flickered across Elgri's face, Svenlanna could see the fine details. Her child's nose was warped from being broken so many times, burns and cuts covered her body and she had those strange holes in her lips. Elgri was built like a true Nord warrior, strong and proud and tall with many scars of war proudly displayed across her. Elgri was Dragonborn. She had restored the peace by defeating Ulfric Stormcloak.

However, right now the great Dragonborn was sitting on her bed bitterly weeping into her mother's nightdress, like a child who had a nightmare. Svenlanna, however, recognized that was exactly what Elgri was.

“Mama?” Nerla asked hesitantly. “Are you okay, Mama?”

“Nerla, dear one, it will be alright,” replied Svenlanna softly. Elgri's breath became shorter and faster, more labored, as if she had been running for miles. Her body tensed, relaxed and shook and all the while sobs choked her. “Elgri, my love? Tell me what is the matter.”

Elgri mumbled something indistinct into Svenlanna's shoulder.

“Did you have another dream?” Svenlanna asked. “About the dra-”

Suddenly, Elgri yelped and pushed Svenlanna away. She had a wild look on her face, eyes darting around the small house rapidly.

“I heard wings,” whispered Elgri softly.

“It was the wind,” cooed Svenlanna. Elgri let out a wail and slowly slid onto the floor. Svelanna followed. “It was nothing but the wind. There is nobody there.”

Svenlanna held her daughter close despite her thrashing. She held on despite the fingers and the remainders of fingers digging into her back as Elgri clutched to her mother. Nerla stared and cried quietly, calling out to her mother from time to time. Elgri finally was able to stand and coaxed her mother into bed. Svenlanna kept her eyes opened and stared at Elgri as she sat down on Nerla's bed.

“Are you alright now Mama?” asked the little girl. When Elgri nodded, Nerla smiled. “I'm glad! Please don't be sick again. It was scary.”

Elgri chuckled lightly and Svenlanna smiled when she saw large, unsure hands shakily push back Nerla's hair, the way Svenlanna herself did to Elgri. Elgri had never been entirely maternal and while she was gone the mother and daughter had become strangers, but Svenlanna was reassured to see how they were fixing it.

“Go to sleep, darling,” Elgri finally said, pulling the blanket over Nerla again. Nerla yawned a tiny, sleepy reply and Elgri laughed, kissing her on the forehead and watching her child sleep.

Settling into her own bed, Elgri smiled slightly. Nerla was so precious. She was young and full of life and vigor. She was so, so much like Elgri when she was younger. Thankfully she did not look like her mother though. She favored her father. Vidar. As Elgri closed her eyes, another thought passed through her mind. Vidar...

Elgri's eyes suddenly opened and she saw nothing but fog and darkness. She looked around and saw a dark figure come towards her, the mist pulling away like curtains as they approached. Her heart stopped in her chest when she saw the face.

Elgri woke suddenly and sat up. She sighed and shuffled out of the house out back, sitting down on the cold, hard ground. She absently pulled at blades of grass and drew in the dirt with her finger. A soft breeze blew by and she looked up suddenly.

No, it wasn't wings. But the smell of smoke never left Elgri's nose.


End file.
